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Theresa May urges Brussels to give ground in renewed Brexit talks

23 July 2018

It stresses that an exit deal must be ready by October 18's summit of the EU leaders in 13 weeks" time; it says this should be accompanied by a "political declaration" on wishes for the future UK/EU relationship (to form the basis of further talks in a transition period) and if this is achieved it will be "just in time' to allow for ratification by the UK and EU parliaments.

In her first major Brexit speech since the wave of ministerial resignations which followed her Chequers deal, the Prime Minister described the White Paper proposals as "a significant development of our position ... a coherent package".

Speaking in Belfast on Friday (20 July), Theresa May repeated that the EU's proposal for a border in the Irish Sea was "unworkable" and called for Barnier's team to come up with new proposals.

"They're wrong. No bluffing", he told the Sunday Telegraph.

She will strongly reject the EU's proposal for a backstop stating it would mean the creation of a border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

In their final exchanges before the parliamentary summer recess, the Labour leader said she was neglecting the country's needs because she was caught up in Tory infighting.

Steve Baker, a senior lawmaker who served as a deputy to Mr Davis in the Brexit ministry before resigning with his boss, said May had presided over a "cloak and dagger" plot to undermine Brexit.

The scheme would effectively create a border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom, breaching the Good Friday Agreement, leaving Northern Ireland without a voice in trade talks and destabilising for the economy, she will argue.

After quitting, former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson singled out her treatment of the border as the biggest mistake of her negotiations with the European Union for a smooth exit from the bloc next year and risked leaving Britain in a "miserable, permanent limbo". "Sue the EU. Not go into negotiations - sue them".

Asked if reports the Government was planning to stockpile food for a no deal outcome were true, Mr Raab said: 'No.

Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage and U.S. President Donald Trump's former adviser Steve Bannon are in discussions about forming a new right-wing movement, according to the Sunday Times. "We can work on this, amend it, improve it", he said.

Another day, another series of twists in the Brexit saga and the latest news is not particularly promising.

"We need to make it clear that the two are linked".

Pro-Brexit lawmakers are expected to use a debate on Monday on customs legislation to try to force her to harden up her Brexit plan, while a debate on trade on Tuesday will see pro-EU lawmakers push for even closer ties with the bloc.

European Union officials and diplomats have told the Guardian it would instead require a fundamental shift in British politics for there to be any value for the European Union in an extension of the UK's membership.